Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Prayerfully Serving in Christ

In the vestibule where Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) go to sign in before the start of Mass, you will find hanging on the wall cross-shaped medallions for the ministers to wear, and a piece of paper that contains the “Prayer for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.” The prayer reads in part, “Free me from anything of vanity and pride that might separate me and the service that is mine from the heart of the Divine Mystery residing in this Holy Meal. May I, with Your constant assistance, truly wait upon You and Your people in this holy liturgy of praise and adoration.”

Extraordinary Ministers are responsible for helping priests and deacons to distribute Communion at Mass, or for bringing Communion to parishioners who are homebound or in retirement homes. Being an EMHC is both a privilege and a holy responsibility. Here at Our Lady of Hope, we specifically ask our ministers to commit to living according to the teachings of the Catholic Church and to be involved in the Church community. While the medallions serve as an outward symbol of a minister’s role in the Mass, part of the preparation for this role is internal.

“Serving as an Extraordinary Minister requires me to be more mindful of how I daily live my life — to remain prayerful and aware of all that I do,” says Mary Haag, who has been an EMHC for over 20 years. “I feel that I need to live a more holy life in order to serve Jesus in this way.”

Our Lady of Hope is in need of more ministers. In order to serve, an EMHC must be a confirmed Catholic in good standing with the Church, agree to live a lifestyle in accordance with the Catechism, and have his or her name approved by the diocese. Training at the parish — both initial training for new ministers and refreshers for existing ministers — is typically offered in the fall.

Yvonne Evans, our Pastoral Associate, is in charge of scheduling ministers to visit the homebound, and makes up the schedule for three months at a time. Typically, ministers are scheduled to bring Communion on Fridays to nearly 20 homebound parishioners and five nursing homes collectively.

EMHCs have a unique opportunity to perform works of mercy through this ministry. “I ask the ministers to pray with the homebound and to share the Gospel reading of the day,” Yvonne says. “We have a book for each Eucharistic Minister to the homebound. It’s important to pray with them, to talk to them, and to hold their hand.”

If you feel called to participate in this ministry, please call the parish office at 812-254-2883.

In the vestibule, you will find hanging on the wall cross-shaped medallions for the EMHCs to wear.